The critical nature of the mechanical architecture of an infrastructure for mobile radio communication does not translate simply into mechanical direct material cost. Physical direct material cost (e.g., hardware, modules, housings, card cages) is typically a small percentage when compared to the electrical direct material cost (e.g., printed circuit board (PCB) components), and the electromechanical (mainly interconnect) direct material costs (e.g., connectors, interconnect boards, cables, shielding). The benefit of quality mechanical design is gained when the mechanical design enables significant cost savings to be realized in other areas of the design. Being able to streamline a PCB layout, to eliminate cables inside a module, to use standard connectors, to incorporate shielding into other mechanics, to streamline manufacturing processes, or reduce the size and number of layers required on a PCB, etc., creates the opportunities to save money.
For example, in base radio or base station design it is not unusual for designers to focus on a single base radio configuration mechanical design that would provide opportunities for concurrent improvements and cost savings in other parts of the base radio design. Alternatively, base radio designers might focus on a multiple base radio configuration mechanical design that would provide similar cost savings opportunities. However, typically the mechanical designs for the single base radio and the multiple base radio would use different components, such as the internal modules, power supplies and fan kits.
It would be advantageous, however, from a design and cost perspective if a single base radio configuration and a multiple base radio configuration, and related apparatus, could be designed that could use the same components, such as the internal modules, power supply and fan kit.